• During the Forum on Legal Frameworks for a Sustainable Future

On the second day of the first Abu Dhabi International Forum on "Legal Frameworks for a Sustainable Future in Green, Health, Therapeutic and wellness Tourism and Climate Change", the participating experts  discussed ways to strengthen the position of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi as a global tourism destination and to create new and diversified investment opportunities for green, therapeutic and environmental tourism, and the role of local and international legislation in consolidating the concepts of climate justice and supporting sustainable development, with the aim of helping to chart better prospects and pathways for the future.

The Forum is part of the strategic undertakings conducted by the UAE in connection with the Year of Sustainability 2023, and the ongoing preparations to host the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), in implementation of the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice-President, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Presidential Court, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, to pursue the efforts that contribute to the promotion of sustainable development.

Moderated by Mr. Hasan Mohamed Alhammadi, Director of the Prosecution Affairs Division in Abu Dhabi and member of the Scientific Board of the ADJA, the two-day Forum shed light on the most important experiences, efforts, initiatives and legal systems through the platform of the ADJA with the participation of a distinguished panel of national and international speakers, consultants and experts in the field.

Mrs. Salama Alhameli, Acting Head of Medical Tourism Section at the Department of Health (DoH) - Abu Dhabi, reviewed DoH's experience in creating new and diverse investment opportunities through the programme that was launched in 2018, and which focused on 5 main areas: promotion through the use of best technological means, establishing advanced standards and methodology, developing a marketing and expansion plan, measuring technological capabilities, strengthening strategic cooperation and partnerships with local and international agencies and institutions. Mrs. Alhameli suggested the establishment of a legal framework that regulates this process with the aim of supporting the prestigious position that the Emirate of Abu Dhabi holds globally in the field of medical tourism.

Mr. Amr Taha Badawi, Head of the Department of Legal Studies at Zayed University, presented a paper entitled "Towards a Legal System for Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Health Care ... and Telemedicine, Abu Dhabi as a Model", shedding light on national and international legislation in this field and on the environmental impact of the health care system. He also discussed the relationship between environmental sustainability and the effects of a polluted environment on health, the causes of the huge carbon footprint and climate change, the negative effects in the health sector, as well as the advantages and benefits of telemedicine and international legislation for this procedure, reviewing the local situation in the United Arab Emirates as a comparative study.

For her part, Mrs. Noha Al-Khatib, professor of public administration and expert in environmental systems, focused on the topic of "Green Tourism to Reduce Climate Change and Sustain Development... Pioneering International Experiences", in which she reviewed the causes of climate change exacerbation and the UAE's efforts in combating the problem of climate change. She also addressed the subject of green tourism in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and pioneering international experiences, highlighting the need for a strong commitment to sustainable development.

Dr. Omar Abdullah Al-Mansoori, Senior Legal Researcher, spoke about the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) to be held in the UAE, and the efforts of the UAE and the role of the Environment Agency in the issue of climate change, and the efforts of the negotiators in holding international conferences, wishing that the efforts of the country to host this conference are crowned with success.

Dr. Sami Al Toukhy, Acting Director of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Academy, went over the basic concepts of sustainability in healthcare, the relationship of medical tourism to the environment, the importance of green medical tourism and the reasons for its success, as well as the legal terms of medical tourism, proposing the enactment of legislation for green medical tourism, with the aim of promoting investment in this field and increasing the country's competitiveness.